Commission approves extension of C & A Half gravel-pit permit, ties trail easement to CPW design

The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve an amendment and extension to the conditional use permit (CUP 2021616) for gravel extraction at 2855 C & A Half Road, subject to existing and clarified conditions.

Jessica Johnson, zoning supervisor, explained the applicant (M and D Enterprises LLC) has not yet commenced mining operations. Staff retained prior conditions requiring state reclamation permits and gravel-permitting prerequisites, stormwater permits, proof of bond, and air-quality approvals before operations begin. Johnson described a revised condition splitting a previously requested 100-foot blanket easement into two parts: a public-access easement across the southern portion of the site for the East-West Colorado Riverfront Trail consistent with Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) design, required no later than July 1, 2026, and a multipurpose easement along C & A Half Road for the North-South Trail prior to construction-plan approval.

Applicant representative Mark Austin said the delay stemmed from a new state policy that required five months of groundwater monitoring before a sand-and-gravel permit application could be submitted; the team has completed monitoring and is working through state comments. "We're in agreement with the staff conditions," Austin said, adding that permitting timelines have been longer than expected.

Commissioners noted the trail easement clarifies a missing link in the riverfront trail and discussed the administrative mechanism for two-year extensions. Commissioner motioned to approve the CUP with staff findings and conditions; the motion passed 5-0.